A Look at Leadership
A Look at Leadership
Published on:
Mar 26, 2025
Category
General
When I walked through the doors at C.A.S.E. headquarters for the very first time, I took a look around and noticed women occupied many of the leadership positions. The organization itself was started by two women, our founders Debbie Riley and Kathleen Dugan, making it nothing new to the staff to see women all around in managerial roles.
I was meeting Michaela Battle for the very first time, an adoptee like me. We had been asked to speak at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new office headquarters in Burtonsville, Maryland. Two young women, coming together for the very first time giving our voices to a vision that was important to us, as both of our stories started with adoption.
Photo Caption: Mike Dugan, Kathleen Dugan, Debbie Riley
Michaela and I went on to become the founding chairpeople of the Emerging Leaders Council, a group of adult adoptees that volunteer their time to provide a “lived experience lens” for C.A.S.E. to look through. In recognition of Women’s History Month, I caught up with Michaela to ask her about her thoughts on the four years we spent in that role…
“Being the first chairperson was both an incredible privilege and a challenge. It meant stepping into a space that didn’t yet have a blueprint and helping shape a group that could provide a meaningful voice for adoptees. As a woman, I was mindful to lead with both strength and empathy,” she said.
Photo Caption: Zoe Bulitt, Rachel Shifaraw, Michaela Battle
We talked about working with C.A.S.E. and being surrounded by women:” there’s a unique sense of strength in working within a space where women in leadership roles is the norm, rather than the exception,” Battle said.
For me, I often find myself at C.A.S.E. events looking at Debbie and Kathleen, then at Michaela and myself. I see some sort of reflection there — something similar but also something so different. I see two adoptive mothers…two adoptees…but I also see two sets of women who bonded over a commonality, being brave in working toward making lasting impacts through our leadership roles.
As we closed out our conversation, I asked Michaela if she has any female role models, women she looks up to. She told me she continues to find inspiration in the excellence of women of color in leadership roles. “There’s a well-known saying that Black people have to work twice as hard to get half of what other people do. While that reality can be exhausting, it’s also what fuels my motivation,” she said.
Personally, I am inspired by all women in the workplace. I love seeing the strength and softness women bring to workforces and I love seeing women in leadership positions where historically, they weren’t always allowed. The future remains bright as we continue in our work as women with resilience. The journey continues…
